Last Sunday the German Emperor attended a dinner given in
his honour by the Hamburg Senate, and made a remarkable Last Sunday the German Emperor attended a dinner given in his honour by the Hamburg Senate, and made a remarkable
speech. He referred to the competition of nations and said that commercial competition was healthy and necessary as a stimulus. It can be "fought out in peace." Then, in a passage which might seem to contradict the spirit of what went before, the Emperor (we quote from the Times) continued :— " The Navy it is which expresses the will of the German people to count for something on the sea. This young Navy, still grow- ing to maturity, enjoys in a special degree the interest of the men of Hamburg. If I understand aright the enthusiasm to which the people of Hamburg give expression, I think I can assume that they are minded (dass es ihre Ansicht ist) to strengthen our Navy in the future also (auch fiirderhin), so that we can be sure that nobody will dispute with us the place in the sun which belongs to us (den uns zustehenden Plats an der Sonne)."
These words may be taken to foreshadow another increase in the naval programme. The Socialists are unfeignedly delighted, as they think the prospect of more taxation will win them many votes at the coming elections. The Liberals, and indeed most political groups, evidently regard the speech as very inconvenient. But it is not by any means universally
assumed that a further expansion of the Navy Law this side
of 1917 will be possible. If the Emperor means to use the Navy cry at the elections the Socialists will be quite ready for him.
